OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Welcome, and thanks!
Between 265 & 485 SQ/FT The Scooter Workshop
- Thread starter Modern Jess
- Start date
Workspaces sized between 265 and 485 squarefeet.
Welcome, and thanks!
pgray007
Well-known member
I've really enjoyed this thread. I've never actually heard of unistrut, but it looks pretty interesting for those of us who can't weld but have some projects that would be better served with metal than wood. Any "neat ideas for unistrut"-type sites that you've come across? I usually best learn a new skill by seeing how others used it, and aside from this thread any other "idea generators" would be helpful as I build out my own shop.
Keep up the nice work. I also really like the mix of carpentry, metal, and technology!
Keep up the nice work. I also really like the mix of carpentry, metal, and technology!
Denwood
Well-known member
Looking forward to your Italy pics! I recently spent a week on business in Bassano del Grappa . It's a gorgeous area with some pretty fantastic wine. The coffee was memorable too 
Manfrotto has quite a presence there, running a world class manufacturing operation in the region over several sites. They have robots deburing parts...
Manfrotto has quite a presence there, running a world class manufacturing operation in the region over several sites. They have robots deburing parts...
Growlertdi
Well-known member
Found your thread through Gregors thread.. Glad I did.
Read the whole thing in a couple of days and find it just as facinating as his.
can you explain what is so special about the bandsaw you cleaned up? does the front tray slide into the blade (which is twisted as it comes off the upper and lower wheels...odd)? how much travel does that front tray have if so?
and yes, those chickens are in the coop.
Read the whole thing in a couple of days and find it just as facinating as his.
can you explain what is so special about the bandsaw you cleaned up? does the front tray slide into the blade (which is twisted as it comes off the upper and lower wheels...odd)? how much travel does that front tray have if so?
and yes, those chickens are in the coop.
Garage_Mahal
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 31, 2008
- Messages
- 551
Awesome thread Jess. I'm getting ready to build some unistrut shelving in my garage and I was wondering if you have any regerts on using the melamine tops for he shelving. Also what size sheets did you use? I can't seem to find large pieces around here.
I know i'm late, but just catching up... The chickens are in the coop. (I did LOL)
The entire thread and others, text is good and necessary but pictures are clarifying and catching.
Remember there are often 10-100 times as many readers as posters.
Thanks for the time to document and post.
How's this for a 1st post from another software guy with FSD?
sdb
The entire thread and others, text is good and necessary but pictures are clarifying and catching.
Remember there are often 10-100 times as many readers as posters.
Thanks for the time to document and post.
How's this for a 1st post from another software guy with FSD?
sdb
Wow, I discovered this thread this evening and read through all of it like I tore through Andy Weir's The Martian the first time I read it. Fantastic job on making the space your own and your solutions to the storage issue are ones that I will be blatantly stealing with the exception of the unobtanium storage containers.
Seagoon
Well-known member
Hey Jess,
Just letting you know that your thread is one of the first ones that I read from start to finish and got me to join the forum. Your attention to detail and the work you put in is inspiring. I will be borrowing your unistrut shelves and installing them in my garage after we remodel our house in the Bay Area. This will be my 1st time using Unistrut but is the best solution for me. Thank you for sharing you work with us.
Just letting you know that your thread is one of the first ones that I read from start to finish and got me to join the forum. Your attention to detail and the work you put in is inspiring. I will be borrowing your unistrut shelves and installing them in my garage after we remodel our house in the Bay Area. This will be my 1st time using Unistrut but is the best solution for me. Thank you for sharing you work with us.
Captain
Well-known member
Where are the chickens . . . are they ok? 
Thank you for a terrific read over the last couple of nights, and far better than sitting in front of the idiot box.
I do like the simple lines and 'neatness' of your workshop style. Quite impressive what can develop from a somewhat tired shell.
Now looking forward to your Italian escapade pics, (as well as the workshop progression).
Thank you for a terrific read over the last couple of nights, and far better than sitting in front of the idiot box.
I do like the simple lines and 'neatness' of your workshop style. Quite impressive what can develop from a somewhat tired shell.
Now looking forward to your Italian escapade pics, (as well as the workshop progression).
The chickens are in the coop... but it seems you may have flown it yourself. I found GJ yesterday for the first time. Your thread here was the first thing I read and have enjoyed every single post. Absolutely great problem solving and “compromising” in every aspect or the shop/bench projects. I’ve subscribed to the thread in hopes of seeing more. Thank you for the time and effort you put in to every post you made. Hope to see more soon!
JKLiNx
New member
Glad I was linked here from Gregor's thread; good work on the shop! I have a feeling this site is going to be a bad influence whenever I get around to fixing / upgrading my garage.
Nige
New member
The chickens are in the coop
Arclitgold
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- Joined
- Dec 20, 2017
- Messages
- 317
Just read this whole thread in a day. Nice work!
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OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Today in my workshop, I set out to organize the last really awful corner of the shop. This has been a mess roughly since I first got the drywall up.
Bunk
Well-known member
Glad to see you back posting
andyaus
Well-known member
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Thanks! Been spending more time in the shop during lockdown, and really frustrated by how disorganized everything is. Working through it little by little.
@Modern_jess, I'm just getting caught up on the thread and loving the progress and process. I'm also in the Bay Area, a tinkerer and dabbler, and setting up shop in the coming months as I slog through construction. Thread to come. If you ever need a spare hand, I'm around.
Jake
PS. chicken coop
Jake
PS. chicken coop
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
tjpavlov
Well-known member
So happy to see you back. This has always been one of my favorite threads.
Brian R
Well-known member
Just saw you posted on Gregor's Midcentury Moto and I was like, "Damn, he's back". Really happy to see you update this thread.
Cheers.
Cheers.
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Thanks, all! I apologize for my extended absence. I got to the point where I didn't even want to look at the shop, let alone post pictures for everyone to see what a disaster it got to be. At some point, on top of the mess, I started re-doing some of the work I had done in the past -- I wanted to add one more ventilation fan, and that required (read: my OCD demanded) that I rip out a whole bunch of stuff (wiring, mostly) and start over.
The extended lockdown in California has meant that I've had time and motivation to dig myself out of the mess. The shop is starting to seem livable again.
Prior to all of that, I was doing some work in the shop. You can see what I was up to here: Made By Jester
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
So let's see if I can catch you guys up on some of the projects and changes that have happened around the workshop.
First up are the storage boxes (boring) with some very custom wooden label holders. I have used printable vinyl ID cards extensively in other places in the shop -- the card file cabinet, the systainers -- and wanted to use the same cards for these wooden storage boxes. Only, I couldn't find any of the right size. They just don't seem to exist.
So I set out to make some. A year later, I had finally managed the feat.
Here's a video of the whole process: Wooden Label Holders
The shape is a bit complex, and requires a pocket on one side and a smaller window on the other side. In order to make a reasonable quantity of them, I built a router jig that would route the shapes out on one side on a long strip of 1/4" wood, then flip it over and (using a different insert for the jig) do all of the routing for the other side. It worked shockingly well.
First up are the storage boxes (boring) with some very custom wooden label holders. I have used printable vinyl ID cards extensively in other places in the shop -- the card file cabinet, the systainers -- and wanted to use the same cards for these wooden storage boxes. Only, I couldn't find any of the right size. They just don't seem to exist.
So I set out to make some. A year later, I had finally managed the feat.
Here's a video of the whole process: Wooden Label Holders
The shape is a bit complex, and requires a pocket on one side and a smaller window on the other side. In order to make a reasonable quantity of them, I built a router jig that would route the shapes out on one side on a long strip of 1/4" wood, then flip it over and (using a different insert for the jig) do all of the routing for the other side. It worked shockingly well.
SWA Guy
Well-known member
Beautiful work as always!
Do you still have the Tormach?
Do you still have the Tormach?
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Thanks!
I never did get it. I think I chickened out. When we were buying the house and I knew I would have to move out of my co-op workshop in San Francisco, I was certain that having a capable CNC was something I absolutely wanted. By the time I finished the house remodel and then the very long shop remodel, I wasn't so sure anymore. Somewhere along the way, I became much more focused on the workshop itself, to the detriment of some of my previous interests -- namely scooters. I still love them, but am definitely not as active anymore.
Giving up a huge amount of floor space (not to mention money) to a giant machine that I may or may not actively have a use for just seemed like a bad idea. So the Tormach took a back seat while I explored other things I was interested in. I got into making Youtube videos for a while (as seen above) and scooters (and machining in general) became less important.
I'm still thinking I need a small mill. But probably manual (with DRO) and not a full-blown CNC.
Kiwi Canuck
Well-known member
OK, I finally got to the end of this thread after binging on it over 2 days, absolutely brilliant.
Found this by following Gregor's thread.
Nice work on the workshop and keeping this thread updated.
These workshop build reports can be a blessing and a curse, great for motivating me to get in the shop and complete projects and get organized, but at the risk of not measuring up to the guys that have massive budgets or are just so much better at doing stuff than me, or more driven.
Your thread is easy to read, very down to earth and enjoyable so thanks for that.
Very interesting journey and relevant for me as I just finished building my first Unistrut project, I needed to wall mount a 75 KVA transformer about 15 ft above the floor at my new shop, the unit weighs 550 lbs, so I needed to make sure it was designed and overbuilt because we don't want that coming down.
OK time to get back to building cabinets for my garage.
BTW Chicken Coop-19
David.
Found this by following Gregor's thread.
Nice work on the workshop and keeping this thread updated.
These workshop build reports can be a blessing and a curse, great for motivating me to get in the shop and complete projects and get organized, but at the risk of not measuring up to the guys that have massive budgets or are just so much better at doing stuff than me, or more driven.
Your thread is easy to read, very down to earth and enjoyable so thanks for that.
Very interesting journey and relevant for me as I just finished building my first Unistrut project, I needed to wall mount a 75 KVA transformer about 15 ft above the floor at my new shop, the unit weighs 550 lbs, so I needed to make sure it was designed and overbuilt because we don't want that coming down.
OK time to get back to building cabinets for my garage.
BTW Chicken Coop-19
David.
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ODIS
Well-known member
Impressed as well as inspired by innovative and interesting projects all wrapped up in a great writing style along with wonderful photography.
Appreciate all the time spent here documenting your projects and appreciate too, the time spent away doing “other endeavors” that bring meaning to ones life.
Great thread and have enjoyed reading and looking at all the pictures.
Appreciate all the time spent here documenting your projects and appreciate too, the time spent away doing “other endeavors” that bring meaning to ones life.
Great thread and have enjoyed reading and looking at all the pictures.
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JatoTheRipper
Well-known member
I wish I had a garage that cleaned up after itself!
Nicely done. Very cool, little video.
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
What is this, Game of Thrones?
Now *that* is an epic thread.
Thanks much!
Yes, agreed completely. But also disagree about the budget. While I certainly spent more than I had really intended to in places, I would characterize those things as icing and not cake. Some of the most useful and functional aspects of my own workshop were done with fairly modest funds. The biggest investment by far was labor, which was almost entirely my own. I have drawn the most inspiration from the small 1-car garage workshops found here on Garage Journal, hiding in the shadows of the Garage Majals. Those are the guys that really have to think outside-of-the-box to make their space work, and I doff my hat to them.
Bah! My photos are mere snapshots. But thanks just the same
Best workshop upgrade you can buy.
Thanks much!
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Card File Cabinet #3
I posted this elsewhere a couple of days ago, but for completeness (and to make the next post make sense) I'll add it here.
Last Friday, I went up to San Francisco to look at a card file cabinet I found on Craigslist. It was an odd-sized one as well -- the dimensions didn't seem to fit a 3x5 or 4x6 card file cabinet. There was no question I was going to buy it -- my other two cabinets (both 3x5 type) have been amazing at holding a huge amount of hardware.
Turns out this particular cabinet is sized for old IBM punch cards. I didn't even know there were card file cabinets for those, but I guess they had to keep them somewhere. Thanks again to the guys here who helped me ID it.
To be continued...
I posted this elsewhere a couple of days ago, but for completeness (and to make the next post make sense) I'll add it here.
Last Friday, I went up to San Francisco to look at a card file cabinet I found on Craigslist. It was an odd-sized one as well -- the dimensions didn't seem to fit a 3x5 or 4x6 card file cabinet. There was no question I was going to buy it -- my other two cabinets (both 3x5 type) have been amazing at holding a huge amount of hardware.
Turns out this particular cabinet is sized for old IBM punch cards. I didn't even know there were card file cabinets for those, but I guess they had to keep them somewhere. Thanks again to the guys here who helped me ID it.
To be continued...
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OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
This card cabinet is ridiculously heavy. The only way I got it into my truck was to take out all of the drawers, which is maybe 80% of the weight.
So naturally I had to build a mobile base for it to match my other ones.
I had most of the parts on hand -- strut channel, corner brackets, and plenty of bolts. I needed a new set of casters (750 pounds each) and some strut nuts.
Voila!
So naturally I had to build a mobile base for it to match my other ones.
I had most of the parts on hand -- strut channel, corner brackets, and plenty of bolts. I needed a new set of casters (750 pounds each) and some strut nuts.
Voila!
Arclitgold
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2017
- Messages
- 317
Nice work!
Where are you getting all this strut channel??
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Where are you getting all this strut channel??
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
I get the galvanized stuff (like shown here) at Home Depot. It’s in the electrical section. I’ve also used stainless strut channel for the bed of my truck, and aluminum channel to house the air lines in the shop. Both of those I get from McMaster.
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Modern Jess
Well-known member
Battery Charging Station
More minor shop updates. A few weeks ago I built this drill rack and battery charging station. Nothing too fancy (though for the amount of effort I put into it, you'd think it would be fancier). The main features are these boot racks that hold the drills and drivers -- an idea I got here on GJ somewhere, but can't remember from who. Also, the space between the drills and the lower battery charger has a power strip tucked inside, and all the excess cables hide in there. Corner cable concealers tucked into the rear corners finish things off.
The whole thing is plugged into a 3 hour countdown timer -- whenever I swap a battery, I press a button to turn on the timer and walk away.
The cabinet is then bolted to brackets that slot into the WallControl metal pegboard behind it.
More minor shop updates. A few weeks ago I built this drill rack and battery charging station. Nothing too fancy (though for the amount of effort I put into it, you'd think it would be fancier). The main features are these boot racks that hold the drills and drivers -- an idea I got here on GJ somewhere, but can't remember from who. Also, the space between the drills and the lower battery charger has a power strip tucked inside, and all the excess cables hide in there. Corner cable concealers tucked into the rear corners finish things off.
The whole thing is plugged into a 3 hour countdown timer -- whenever I swap a battery, I press a button to turn on the timer and walk away.
The cabinet is then bolted to brackets that slot into the WallControl metal pegboard behind it.
OP
Modern Jess
Well-known member
Hammer Rack
Another very minor improvement to the shop (in the same spirit as the battery charging station) was this hammer rack. These are the hammers I reach for most often in the shop, and they used to be on individual brackets on the pegboard. That took up a lot of space, and the brackets weren't really very well suited for hammer storage.
This rack took me all of a couple hours to put together (probably less if I wasn't distracted with other simultaneous stuff) and was built out of scraps I had lying around. It has actually made a big difference, too. Time well invested.
Another very minor improvement to the shop (in the same spirit as the battery charging station) was this hammer rack. These are the hammers I reach for most often in the shop, and they used to be on individual brackets on the pegboard. That took up a lot of space, and the brackets weren't really very well suited for hammer storage.
This rack took me all of a couple hours to put together (probably less if I wasn't distracted with other simultaneous stuff) and was built out of scraps I had lying around. It has actually made a big difference, too. Time well invested.